Lonely But Not
by CSIMiamiLove
Summary: Horatio is himself as usual. Strong, fierce and brave. But inside he is pained by the ones who are no longer with him. His heart aches for his beloved wife, whom he has missed for so long. But through his trials, will come revelation.
1. Chapter 1

**Lonely But Not**

The tall redhead stood in the heat of the Miami sun. Within his worn hands, he clutched a lone rose, his thoughts consuming his mind. His features were evident with his everlasting grief as he painfully sighed. The Lieutenant thought of nothing in an instant once he knelt before the grave of Marisol Delko Caine. "6 years today." he whispered. It was truthfully too much for him. 6 years ago on this very day, his life, his love, his everything, was stolen from him; And truthfully, the hurt never went away.

Horatio spent what seemed like an eternity simply kneeling before his beloved wife's resting place. No matter the amount of time. With it, came many tears, held in for oh so long. Nothing could heal his battered and bruised heart. Not after it had been so long. At long last, he stood from his position and muttered his "I love you" in a trembling voice. It took a lot of his nerve to do it, but eventually he returned to the Hummer, dreading what the day had to offer.

* * *

H slumped in his office chair that morning and made an attempt to begin on the mass of paperwork sprawled on his overflowing desk. The day had started on a rather low note. Perhaps it was that he had stopped caring about that aspect of his life. Even the man himself didn't know what to think anymore.

Through his steely resolve, he grasped his pen and repeatedly scrawled his approval on the demanding reports and files before him. Every outside conversation suddenly grew muted as his oceanic eyes traveled to his treasured wedding photograph. Nothing had ever broken him before, but that was all it took. The pen dropped from his hand while a waterfall of unrelenting tears cascaded from his weary eyes. Yet again, he lost track of time, but then again, he could have cared less.

For a literal amount of an hour and a half, Horatio sobbed and convulsed within the confines of his office with seldom interruption, if any at all. the only thing that forced him to collect himself was a sudden but recognizable knock at the door. With a swipe of the hand, he cleared the grief from his face and pretended to work. A moment later, a rather cheerful Natalia entered with a file in hand. At first, his efforts to appear normal were easily accepted. However, her sharpened detective skills honed in on his radiating grief.

"Horatio, are you alright?", she questioned.

Before speaking he forced a smile. "I'm well, thank you Miss Boa Vista."

She refused to buy it. Nat frowned and strolled to her boss's side.

"Horatio, I think we both know that that's a lie. You can tell me anything, we're family. What's wrong?"

_Busted, _he thought. " Well, it's uh, six years to this day that.. well..."

Natalia didn't need anymore information to quickly decipher the source of his apparent sadness. She rested her hand on his shoulder as he stared into the oblivion of his desk; Near distant from the present. She couldn't think of any words to console his burdened soul. She only stood there, caressing his back in comforting circles. _I feel so sorry for him, he has no idea, _she pondered. Finally, her words came to her and she tried her best to be meaningful in saying them.

"I'm so sorry, H."

Her superior looked up at her, wearing an appreciative smile. She returned one of her own, and gave him a soft squeeze on his forearm. When she turned to leave, he spoke up.

"Natalia?"

"Yeah Horatio?"

"Thank you."

**TBC**

**A/N So this is the start of many chapters to come in my work :) I hope you enjoy it so far, reviews and constructive criticism are welcome. The chapters will get longer as I go, so that won't be an issue. Also, I'd like to give a shout out to 3 great friends who encouraged me to go for it. NashMarquez, LovelyLadiiZ, and Teeheehee123, you're the best! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Despite his arduous start to the day, Horatio did not restrict himself to the silent confines of his office. Frequently, he roamed the various amount of labs, home to his cherished team of CSI's. Only Natalia knew of his episode of morning grief. And at least for the time being, it made her uneasy to know that her boss, her mentor, and her friend, was hurting so deeply. Natalia was at a loss of what to do. However, she refused to let the barrier of secrecy break.

Later that very day, the Lieutenant himself, joined by Ryan and Natalia, stood in command of a crime scene as his coworkers snapped various photos and collected the mass of evidence. Their superior's reddened eyes were shadowed behind the darkness of his sleek sunglasses. Despite the days previous events, he carried on, just as he would any other day. It was almost scary how good he could hide his emotions.

"Hey H, we're about wrapped up here. I'm headed back to the lab. I need to talk to Benton about a new SD card for my camera. Catch you later," Ryan announced.

Horatio nodded in understanding and allowed the young CSI to exit the scene. This left him, Natalia and a few uniforms. They all had spent close to 2 and a half hours at the scene processing and they too were ready to start the breakdown of accumulated evidence at the crime lab. The ride back promised to be slightly awkward; especially considering that Natalia had ridden with Horatio.

Although the ride was rather short, the air was clouded with an awkward silence. That is, until Natalia herself brought up enough nerve to speak.

"How are you feeling H?"

He instantly knew what he was referring to.

"I'm doing well, thank you Miss Boa Vista."

She could tell that he was lying once again after he slid off his sunglasses, reminding them both of his disheartening grief.

"Horatio, are you sure you're alright?"

He paused before offering his unanticipated reply. "I'm sure. Thank you for being concerned. I'll be fine."

Ending their brief conversation, she stared into the horizon and let out a quiet sigh, knowing that he did not speak the truth.

* * *

They both returned to the lab in perfect timing; Both retreating to their respectable positions. Yet again, Horatio spent a full hour on the paperwork taking up his desk. Meanwhile, the family of CSI's continued their individual work, whether it was trace, or ballistics. What seemed like a lifetime later, he met with Eric Delko to discuss a puzzling piece of evidence. That, among with other things.

"So, if the cell phone records came up blank, and the outside has been cleaned spotless of prints...where too look," Delko exclaimed.

Ever the wiser, the proverbial light bulb in Horatio's head came alight with an idea.

"The battery, Eric. Check the battery."

Eric Delko was growing more impressed with his brother's advanced intelligence everyday. "Gotcha H, thanks."

"Don't mention it brother."

The redhead went to turn away, when he was halted by Delko's booming voice. "Hey H, one more thing. Are you sick or something? You've barely came out of your office today. If you need a break, just tell me and I'll take over for a bit."

Before turning around to face his brother, he pondered the question. _Oh, if only you knew. If only you knew..._

"I'm fine, Eric. More paperwork as usual. Give me a call if you get anything on that battery."

Eric Delko nodded in agreement, but still felt a certain uneasiness about his supervisor's demeanor.

Before he could reach out to the Lieutenant again, he'd soon rushed out the door.

Delko had remembered what day it was.

* * *

It was now 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and the day was beginning to take a harder toll on the redhead. Horatio continued to rotate from office, to each lab, keeping up with the ever so demanding work load. For once in a very long time, he considered heading home early. The decision was incredibly difficult, and conflicting at best. Finally, his concern for his own well being prevailed, and he left Calleigh Duquesne to command for the remainder of the day.

Soon after he retreated from the lab, he pulled into his driveway and exited his brand new black 2013 Cadillac CTS. He'd had the vehicle for three weeks, and he absolutely loved it.

Before he knew it, he was inside his home (alone once again), he noted. He carelessly skipped dinner, and headed to bed around 8 o'clock.

* * *

Horatio opened his eyes, clueless to his surroundings. A tall and rather large young man stood with a gun trained on his torso. Somehow, this man looked familiar, and he just couldn't place him.

"It's either you, or your pretty little Bullet Girl. You decide."

Calleigh stood next to him, her eyes evident with fear.

"Leave her out of this. Take me. I deserve it," he demanded.

A loud, percussive _BANG _ended his sentence, and blackness consumed him.

Take me, he had.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

With concussion of a single gunshot, Horatio jolted from a cavernous slumber, a layer of sweat coating his terrified face. Sitting up in bed, he frantically searched his chest for a gun shot wound, to no avail. _These nightmares are getting old,_ he thought. For months, he'd been plagued by repetitive night terrors with hardly any relief.

But this one was all too real.

* * *

The next morning, H stood in the break room, coffee cup in one hand, paperwork file in the other. The Lieutenant skipped lunch and took a dive into his daily work load. As he detoured through the lobby, the receptionist called him over.

"Lieutenant, you have some mail here."

The statement caught him off guard. Rarely did he receive any mail irrelevant to his workings of the crime lab. She handed him a medium-sized manilla envelope with no return address and a postage stamp. Across the front, his name was sloppily scrawled in permanent marker. Lured by the mystery that was this strange item, he drifted back to his office to investigate.

H took up his respective space at his desk chair, carelessly tossing the forgotten paperwork to the side. He freed his right hand of the now lukewarm coffee and pondered the possibilities before cautiously lifting the flap to reveal a brief letter scribbled in the same fashion as the front of the envelope. The redhead's eyes widened in concern as his cobalt irises ran across the paper.

_Lieutenant Caine,_

_Surely you remember me. I have no doubt that you do. You've been in the news a lot recently. It seems that you're still quite a shot with that 9 mil. How could I forget? It's the same one you used on my brother long ago. I'm sure you know that you reap what you sow. Watch yourself Caine._

* * *

This wasn't the first threat he'd received. Several times in his career, he had been sent hate mail including threats from the families of criminals he put away. Heck, he even got them from inmates themselves. Yet with this one came with a very uneasy feeling. Coupled with the past days events, he was becoming more and more stressed by the hour. No, the minute. H ran a weary hand through his hair and plucked the paper from its resting place. When he opened his door, Calleigh stood there, a hand stiffened preparing to knock.

"Hey Horatio! I was coming by to give you my Ballistics report. Are you busy?"

"Not at all, Calleigh. Thank you."

She went to hand him the folder, and noticed the strange-looking message he grasped in his hand.

"Horatio, is that another...threat?"

Her swift detective skills quickly registered, leaving him tripping over his words. "Well, uh, not necessarily...yes. Rather..no. No it's not."

A major look of concern flashed in her emerald eyes. Before he could react, she had the letter in her own hands, reading it for herself. Horatio could tell by her own reaction, that she didn't care for what she had perceived. His suspicion was confirmed when she returned her gaze to his and spoke in a prominent tone of voice.

"I don't like this. At all. What are you going to do? You're in danger."

His heart began to ache in the realization that she was honestly concerned about him. "I'll be okay, Calleigh. It's nothing. Thank you though."

Before he walked away, he retrieved the letter and rested a grateful hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry for worrying you. But I'll handle this, okay sweetheart?"

Calleigh faked a smile through her apparent understanding and he excused himself. While he walked away, his mind clicked.

His nightmare was no nightmare. It was a premonition.

**A/N: **I'd like to give a big thank you for the lovely reviews. They made me smile :) And I understand that the chapter lengths haven't been up to par, but as I said before, they will lengthen each time. Stick with me, it's about to get interesting.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

With the hostile letter, came nothing more than constant stress and worry, even for the expert Lieutenant. It seemed that he was looking over his shoulder more and more when he was in public. Coupled with the pain that was his life, the mysterious note did nothing but add fuel to the fire. The only consolation was the comfort of knowing he had his crime lab family looking out for him.

Now he sat in his office yet again, only this time, he mulled over his thoughts in an attempt to recall the events of ten years ago.

_Just when the team had started out, a series of brutal homicides raged in Coral Gables. It didn't take long to piece things together, seeing as these criminals were embarrassingly amateur at what they did. None the less, the new upbringing of forensics prevailed when it came to these senseless murders. Before long, the bastards were cornered in their central hideout; a warehouse just off Flagler. He'd arrived in a timely and secretive fashion, gun drawn and uniforms for backup. As soon as they slid open the massive sheet metal door to the warehouse, the two sadistic fiends were cornered. But they refused to give up without a fight._

_"MDPD! Hands where I can see them!," he ordered. However, one of the men had ideas of his own. Within arms reach on a nearby table sat a semi automatic Beretta 9MM. _

_"Don't even think about it. You'll leave here in a box," Horatio assured. He barely had time to finish his sentence when the man lunged for the weapon. With quicker instincts,he fired off two rounds, dropping the assailant dead in a heap on the floor. His now horrified accomplice raised his arms in defeat, with true shock overwhelming him to the point of major despair. Little did he know, that they were brothers. _

* * *

The vivid memory of such events long ago lit a fire in Horatio's mind. He retrieved archived files and set the worn folders on his desk. Glancing back and forth from the open case file to his computer screen, he typed in a familiar name. _Hardenslo, Jason- Miami Dade West Correctional Facility._ The estranged mans' record appeared before his very eyes. And to his everlasting horror, the monster had been paroled just one month ago. How, he did not know. When his curiosity traveled deeper, so did his researching. Jason Hardenslo had served 10 years, before going up for review by the parole board. And so it seemed, he'd wormed his way through one of the many holes in the legal system. _Played the remorse game, begged for forgiveness. The whole damned charade, just to get out. What's wrong with Miami's legal system, I swear of all the scum I've worked to put away..._

H took a stroll to Ballistics in search of Calleigh Duquesne. When he approached her, she was content to know what he was up to, considering the devilish look in his eyes. Horatio did not speak, for the aged file folder in is hand said it all.

"Hardenslo? We put him away years ago, Horatio. What does he have to do with anything?" she asked.

"Respectfully, you're incorrect. I thought so too, until today."

"Are you trying to tell me that bastard was paroled, Horatio?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

* * *

Calleigh could not believe what she had heard. To let that mongrel loose, was unethical. It defied everything she had ever learned. Aside from the shock, was concern. Horatio had stretched his limitations to put this evil behind bars. It didn't take long for the team to discover their bosses' unrelenting thirst for justice. _Esteban Navarro, Clavo Cruz, Ron Saris, Joe LeBrock,_ _Memmo Fiero, Antonio Riaz... _Calleigh recalled them all, and even more. But this time, it was different. Her mind would not cease from the possibilities surrounding Hardenslo's release. To hold a ten-year grudge, that was something. This man, this demon, had taken the lives of innocent people.

She tried not to imagine what he planned for Horatio.

* * *

That night offered no resolve for the redheaded Lieutenant. The man skipped dinner, and peered into the oblivion that was his bedroom ceiling. Sleep never came easy, not since his late lover had passed. _Does it really matter if Hardenslo comes after me? I'm a weak and selfish man, just like father always said. All I do is bring hurt to the ones I love. _ Eventually, tears stung his eyes, and he blinked them away. H begged for sleep to swallow him up. Anything to stop the hurt he felt.

Horatio lost track of time after the tears blurred his vision. He lay there, until his eyelids closed, heavy under the pressure of exhaustion. His reeling thoughts ceased, and for once in what seemed like eternity, his slumber was nightmare free.

**A/N: **Thank you for being patient with me in between postings. Just note: Jason Hardenslo is a made up character and was never a real nemesis in the show. It doesn't seem like much yet, but believe me, there is something quite massive around the corner ;)


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Calleigh Duquesne awoke that morning and prepared for the upcoming work day. A bank robbery had kept her busy beyond comprehension, considering that the amateur assailant was a trigger happy one next to everything else. However, she refused to complain, for her favored superior had more on his hands than she could fathom.

She had payed precise attention to him in the last few years. If anything else was anymore evident, it was how dark the cloud of misery had gotten that surrounded him. The man she had proudly stood by for the past ten years, the man that she had grown so close to, was falling to pieces behind closed doors. Many a time, the Bullet Girl had shed tears at the thought of everything her best friend had went through. Along with the major remorse she felt for him, came a fiery anger. Nobody deserved to go through what he had. No matter what. For every time she saw the long-term effects of grief shadowed in his eyes, it was like a literal kick in the heart. She could always tell when his heart and mind were in a different place.

All she could do, was pray that he wouldn't give up. Calleigh would be there for him, no matter the cost.

* * *

Horatio stood in the spacious area of his home kitchen with the majestic colors of the early morning sunrise wafting through his desolate dwelling. He raised the coffee mug to his lips, welcoming the taste of the warm liquid on his taste buds. As if anything was different from usual, he pushed the English Muffin around on his plate, only having a couple bites of the bare biscuit. With his declined appetite of happiness, came a plainly declined appetite for a decent meal. With a swift peek at his wristwatch, he ditched the contents of his plate into the garbage and downed the rest of his coffee. The redhead was about to cross the threshold of the front door when something caught his attention.

His gaze locked on the picture of him and Marisol sharing the day together, shortly after they had wed. Smiles plastered both of their faces and true expressions of their inseparable love radiated among the pair. For a moment, the corners of his mouth rose in a smile of his own. Perhaps it was one of the only real signs of life in him; At least, that he could tell. While memories helped ease his raw wounds, they also tore into his soul. Horatio wondered if his battered heart would ever heal. His resolve, if any at all was the satisfaction of bringing the evil of Miami's criminals to their knees. But sometimes, even that wasn't enough to caress the physical and mental scars that had been left behind.

The smile withdrew from his features, and he pulled the door closed behind him before driving to the lab.

* * *

Jason Hardenslo sat with his head hung low at the bar, nursing a shot of Whiskey. Anger and frustration raged through him like a wildfire. Now that he was free, he wanted nothing more than poetic revenge. It didn't matter the cost. He would avenge his brother.

Jason gulped down the amber liquid, and payed his bill. The hatred smoldered in his hollow eyes with every look he gave. Under the cover of darkness, he started his walk towards the apartment complex that he barely called home. The barrel of the Colt .45 dug into his leg where he housed it in his waistband. What nobody knew, was the house he passed every night on his walk home, was that of Lieutenant Horatio Caine.

Hardenslo eyed the dim light emanating from inside the dwelling. His hatred intensified in an instant, and he resisted the prying urge to burst through the front door and unload an entire magazine in the Lieutenants' chest. For moments, he stood there, letting his rage fester like an infected cut. _Not yet, Jason. Not just yet. _

He had nothing more to lose. And soon, he'd take advantage of it.

* * *

The weather report whispered through the Caine residence late at night. The lone man slouched in his favorite leather chair, with an uneasy feeling racking his mind. Despite the emptiness that surrounded him, it felt as if he was under surveillance. He abandoned his frivolous suspicions and silenced the television. Tonight, he actually ate a meal worthy of dinner time. And surprisingly, his relentless feelings of worthlessness and despair had deprived themselves from his presence.

When he lay down at 9:30, the blessing of a peaceful slumber graced his person for once in what was a sincere lifetime. And God, was he thankful. The artificial energy that was coffee only helped for so long. The man slept easily, for the thought of a day with natural energy aided in easing his tired conscience.

Even so, he was completely unaware the hell set to unleash.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**A/N:** Thank you to those of you reading and reviewing :) I appreciate your kind words and little tips. They help me become a better writer!

Feeling noticeably better today, Horatio strolled through the wide halls of the lab with a steaming mug of coffee in hand. His grief had lessened through the late hours of a peaceful night. A well-rested Lieutenant monitored his teams' progress while a light smile tugged at his features. For today, the stress and crippling sadness had let up.

But there was always a catch. He just didn't know it yet.

* * *

Hardenslo sat at his small coffee table within the dark and dank confines of his average apartment. Once again, he downed a half glass of Whiskey and went back to his work. The cold metal of his illegally purchased Colt .45 stung in his hands as he cleaned the weapon and loaded fresh rounds into the magazine. When he was satisfied that it was good enough to function, he pulled back the slide and sent a round into the chamber. One after another, he rehearsed the motions of perfecting his aim.

Whether he aimed at an empty soda can, or a faded scuff on the wall, he was incessant on reinforcing his hatred-fueled plans. Confident in his practice, he sat back on the couch and pulled a familiar photograph from his wallet. Between the two people captured in the photo, smiles were alight with clear recognition of the love they shared. Every time Jason looked at this picture, this memory, his anger seethed beyond limits.

_My brother. Gone. All because of that son-of-a bitch. I'll avenge you someday, and someday soon. _

Jason's blazing anger simmered for hours on end and raged like fire. At long last, he slid on his jacket, stood and took a deep breath._ Now or never,_ he pondered.

The darkened soul of a man grabbed the pistol from its' resting place on the table and slid it into his waistband for easy access. Before leaving, he said a small prayer asking for forgiveness, even though his wrongdoings would never be forgotten, much less be pardoned.

He had nothing more to lose.

* * *

Today was a considerably slow day for the lab. No matter, Horatio welcomed the ease of the day with open arms. He even completed his paperwork and now sat in the break room enjoying lunch for once in a long while. Calleigh Duquesne was shocked to see him actually taking a lunch break when she entered.

"Horatio, hey! How are you?" she questioned with a smile. Before answering, he swallowed a bite of Turkey sandwich.

"I'm doing well today Calleigh, thank you. And yourself?" Calleigh wasn't sure if he was telling the truth, or covering it up.

"I'm great, thank you. It's good to see you taking some time to eat a decent lunch." He recognized her gesture of care immediately. He gave her a boyish grin that melted her heart and made her smile as well.

"Horatio, I've been meaning to ask you..are you alright?" It was a question that came to every person to face him. Over the past few months, his professional sense never ceased, but his haggard appearance was becoming more prominent. His steely frame had lost weight, the lines creasing his facial features had deepened; And the evidence of decreased sleep shadowed under his tired eyes. The truth was, he didn't even know himself.

"I'm.. I'm fine. Nothing to worry about." It was then, that she had enough.

"I don't think so. You're distant, you're quiet, you're..." she sighed and dropped her head slightly so he could not see the film of tears in her emerald eyes.

"I'm what, Calleigh."

She steeled herself to continue. "You're down. You're just so.. sad. I can see it in your eyes that you're just lost. I'm concerned about you. Now I know you don't want to hear about it, but just listen to me." Nothing kept the shakiness from her voice as she took a pause. His eyes traveled so that she didn't have to see the pain in them any longer. He'd hurt everyone enough already. It was bad enough that it had to show this way. Now he too hung his head, but unlike her, he hung his in shame. H could not repel the feelings of disappointment that entered his burdened soul.

"I care about you, Horatio. And I can't stand to see you hurting. I'm only asking you to just talk to me. I'm here for you, and so is everybody else." Calleigh leaned in and embraced her superior. Breaking down his own emotional barriers, he responded and wrapped his arms around her. Time faded as they comforted each other. Once they finally pulled apart, he saw the tears streaming from her eyes, and gently wiped them away.

"I'm not worth the tears, Calleigh." He spoke in a deep tone of voice.

"Of course you are, Horatio. You're worth going through anything."

The pair locked gazes and before anyone could speak, a uniform ducked in and alerted them of a fresh call out.

"Lieutenant, we just got a report of a body somewhere in a warehouse. Address is on 4th and Flagler near the old storage warehouses. Nobody's arrived on scene yet."

Horatio cleared his throat and the two simultaneously stood and headed straight for the elevators.

However, they both would not forget their conversation.

* * *

Nobody had cleared the building of obvious threats, so upon arrival, Calleigh and Horatio, joined by uniforms drew their weapons and rounded over to the massive siding door of the abandoned structure. The door slid open with ease, revealing a cold and cavernous storage space once home to cars. The patrol officers split up and aimed to clear the remainder of the building.

Despite the efforts of the trio, the body could not be found. The Lieutenant went to recall the officers when a very obvious threat made itself known. As soon as Horatio locked eyes with the assailant, he cursed himself for not realizing the foreshadowed danger.

Jason Hardenslo had Calleigh by the throat, and no matter what, she could not pry herself from his relentless grasp. Even worse, she identified the Colt .45 pressed to her head immediately. But that didn't stop Horatio from training his sights on the mans' head.

"Let her go now, Jason! Don't do this. Don't make another mistake." he demanded.

In turn, he rebelled, pulling back on the hammer of the pistol. H followed suit and fumed with the dismay of not being able to get a safe shot.

"I'm sure you remember, Lieutenant. I know you remember. You shot my brother to death, right here. RIGHT HERE."

This _was_ the very same warehouse from ten years ago. Somehow, that aspect of his memory had failed him. He knew from the moment they walked in that there was familiarity, but he couldn't place it.

"Jason, if you do this, you can never go back, do you hear me?" he pleaded.

Hardenslo smirked at the redhead's plea. "It doesn't matter anymore. And you know it, Caine."

By then, the patrol officers had yet to return from their perimeter check. Not that it would do much good. H kept his 9 millimeter aimed at the criminal, but neglected to fire out of personal fear that Calleigh would go down as well.

But none of them could prevent the series of events to unfold. Quickly, Jason threw Calleigh to the ground and raised his .45. The percussion of two shots echoed through the large and empty space, and Hardenslo dropped.

Along with the redhead himself.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**A/N: **Thank you all for the reminders in your reviews. You must know, I will be keeping them all in mind :) I apologize if my medical terminology is off, I truly did my best! This chapter was tough to write, as you can imagine. Either way, I hope you enjoy it. I appreciate every review very much!

Calleigh lay on the ground for several moments, trying to catch her breath. As if her heart wasn't already racing, she received no reply when she called for Horatio. Still stunned, she sat up, and immediately jumped to her feet when she saw the redhead on the cold cement floor. Jason Hardenslo had succumbed to his wounds; And as soon as she saw that man in a dead heap on the ground, she was thankful. But she had a more pressing issue on her mind.

"Horatio! Horatio!" she yelled as she ran over to her fallen superior.

Calleigh cradled her arm around his head and planted her hand on his chest in an effort to stem the bleeding. There was no chance of holding back her tears. Not now. An intense fear gripped her heart. _Don't you dare give up on me, Horatio. Don't you dare. _Calleigh repeated the thought in her mind while she fished into her pocket for her phone. Her hand shook so bad, that she could barely dial for help.

"This is CSI Duquesne, I have a priority at 4th and Flagler, warehouse number one! I need fire rescue immediately, officer down, repeat, officer down!" The Ballistics expert dropped her phone and returned her attention to Horatio. His icy cold eyes were staring into oblivion and he fought to stay conscious. The fact that she could lose her boss, her mentor, and most of all, her best friend in one moment, was enough to eat a hole into her soul. But she too fought the onslaught of emotions bombarding her.

Soon, she heard the siren song of an Ambulance closing in. With it, brought next to no relief. Suddenly, a Hummer escorting the EMS crew came to a skidding halt outside. Eric and Natalia vaulted out of their vehicle and slid open the sheet metal door to uncover a sight that made them cringe.

Calleigh never moved her hand from his chest, in fear that more life would slip from him than already had. Several times, he tried to sit up, but she denied him instantly. The Paramedics ran over with equipment and a gurney at the ready. Before they made the hectic trip to the emergency room, they had to stabilize him first thing. It took coaxing, but they finally got Calleigh to remove her hand. In its' place, the medics began to apply pressure and assess his condition. Eric knelt by his brother and tightly grasped his hand. He felt the redheads' grip getting weaker and weaker by the moment and grew extremely concerned. Natalia embraced Calleigh in a comforting hug (not that it did any good) and watched the medics' insert an IV and supply him with Oxygen.

With the excessive bleeding slightly halted, they loaded him on the stretcher and into the ambulance. Too overwhelmed with shock, Calleigh grabbed both her and Horatio's sidearms and bolted to the Hummer with Natalia. Uniforms began to secure the newly created crime scene and with Calleigh leading the way, both the Hummer and Ambulance hauled it out of the warehouse parking lot at top speed.

Inside the Ambulance, all Hell was unfolding before Eric Delko's very eyes. Horatio's vitals were declining rapidly as the paramedics scrambled to keep him stable. It looked as though every odd was stacked against him as his condition deteriorated. Eric held the mans' hand tight while the siren and the sound of barking EMT's faded in the small space.

They came to a grinding halt in front of Grace Memorial hospital and the Ambulance doors swung open in a hurry revealing a frantic E.R staff and a stunned Calleigh Duquesne. One main Paramedic started shouting updates to the Doctors while they offloaded him and raced him inside.

"Lieutenant Caine, MDPD, single gunshot wound to the middle quadrant of the chest, heavy blood loss and decreased heart rate! Victim also shows signs of shock, and respiratory distress!" The EMT hollered. Natalia, Eric and Calleigh were restricted to a distance, but they all had a slight view of Horatio through the small window of the door.

While they could not hear much, they saw everything. The orderlies removed his button-up, making quick work with a pair of scissors. They continued to feed him Oxygen and stem the incessant bleeding. Natalia buried her head into Eric's shoulder, unable to stand the tension any longer. Meanwhile, Calleigh repetitively sung a mantra of prayer, begging God to not take him away from them. All three of them trembled in fear while Eric held on to both women trying to be strong. The mutterings and hollers of the Nurses and Doctors were muffled from the outside of the trauma room.

The one thing that was not muted, was the sharp elongated tone that plunged their heart, mind and souls into the oblivion of panic and heartbreak.

* * *

Horatio's eyes bolted open, and became instantly aware of his surroundings. He stood in the light and grainy sand of Miami Beach while the calm Florida breeze caressed his auburn hair. Along with the change in scenery, came a change in feeling. His heart was completely weightless, and free of stress, hurt and worry. The Lieutenant's mind was clear, and peaceful. For once in oh so very long, he was healthy and had a renewed spirit.

For several moments, he only stood, taking in the soothing scenery. It wasn't until a movement from the left caught his attention that he shifted position.

From a short distance, a familiar, black-haired, Latina beauty in a pearl white sun dress came closer and closer to him until the both of them were face to face. He reached a hand out and she closed the distance between them while taking his hand in hers. She stared into his aquatic eyes and uttered his name in a delicate tone, almost as if she was speaking to a dear child.

"Horatio," she uttered. He became incredibly comforted in her presence and at last, spoke himself.

"Marisol. We have quite a bit of catching up to do, sweetheart. I miss you with all my heart, darling."

With the satisfaction of hearing his husky voice, she flashed him a smile and wrapped her arms around him. While seeing her beloved husband again since the day that he lay on the pier fading away, came concern. She knew that he would not go back, not after this, but she couldn't bear to see him go out in such a way. For the second time in months, she whispered her plea into his ear.

"Horatio, it's not your time. You have to go back."

The redhead closed his eyes trying to ignore her words. A heavyhearted sigh accompanied his quiet and wishful response.

"No, not now, love. I can't live without you. I love you so much it hurts, sweetheart. Not just yet," he repeated.

"Not just yet."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**A/N: I appreciate the patience in between updates. I am now on Spring Break so I have more time to write :) Once more I thank you for the corrective comments about my word choice. I get a touch carried away, so it's nice to have a reminder! Even though this chapter is not very lengthy, there is more to come, so I truly hope you enjoy.**

From the restrictive distance they were kept at, Calleigh and Natalia dropped to their knees while Eric's mouth dropped open in complete shock. Neither one of them could believe their eyes. Less than 15 feet away from them, Horatio was slipping through the threshold of life and he wasn't returning any time soon. The hospital staff was nothing short of frantic as each orderly responded to the incessant commands of the doctor.

"Patient is going into Cardiac Arrest, bring in the crash cart! Continue chest compressions and control the bleeding! We're not going to lose him now!" The head physician ordered. From a nearby station, a nurse grabbed for the portable Defibrillator and readied it at the side of the bed. A second doctor rushed in for assistance and the team of nurses managed to decrease the bleeding.

"Charging 200 stand clear!" The first effort was made to restart the Lieutenant's heart. When the continuous tone of the monitor did not falter, they prepared for another go. Before charging for the second time, the eyes of Eric Delko met those of the doctor trying to save his brother's life. When the E.R doc saw the emptiness inside the man, he knew that reviving the redhead was mandatory.

"Alright, charging 300, stand clear!" he shouted. Once again, the crippled CSI's watched in horrifying awe as the second try failed. They began to lose patience, but they refused to give up hope.

* * *

Horatio stepped across the soft sand of the beach with his love following next to him. His heart ached in realization that his darling Marisol was right. He _had_ to go back. Lieutenant Caine stopped in his tracks, and faced her while tightening his delicate grip on her hand.

"Sweetheart, it won't make a difference if I go back. It won't." he spoke downwardly. She looked into his eyes with a certain sadness; coming to the real conclusion that he was actually giving up.

"Horatio Caine, don't you ever say that. Look at the people who care about you. They can't survive a single day on Earth without you." Now, he turned his focus to the right, trying to avoid her gaze. He wouldn't let her see the pain in his eyes. A pure look of sorrow spilled out onto his person as if he couldn't hear her comforting words. Finally he returned his attention to her after her pleads coaxed him from his deepest despair.

"Look at me, Horatio. It isn't your time. You still have a long life ahead. You have to go back." Her words caressed his spirit, but at the same time, hurt it.

As if his despondence couldn't get any worse, he tilted his head down and back up again. When he looked up once more, a small film of tears threatened to escape his cobalt irises. After building enough strength to speak, his voice shook with every word.

"I need you, sweetheart."

* * *

The rapid pace of the E.R team had not stopped. With every precious second that ticked by, more hope escaped from the hearts of the redhead's CSI family. But now they halted their sobs and cries to say a silent prayer. The main physician glanced around at the roomful of RN's and opened his mouth for the last command. It seemed as if everyone held their breath in that very second.

"Charging 360, get clear!"

Eric, Natalia and Calleigh held onto each other for dear life from the moment that the call was made. Horatio's chest arose with the voltage coupled with resuscitation and everybody looked on with optimism, just begging for him to come back. When there was no response, they dropped their heads in dejection.

While the mood immediately plummeted upon them all, the characteristic fighter in the Lieutenant resurrected with a high-pitched signal of a recognized heartbeat. Almost instantly, the group sprang into action and began reassuring the now awakened man that everything was going to be okay. Frank Tripp joined the shaken trio just as Horatio was rushed out to emergency surgery. The realism of it all began to deepen, where as an inescapable feeling of relief soothed their weakened minds. Frank didn't need to ask what had just went on. The haggard stares spoke for them. He ushered them into some close by seats to calmly brief them.

"That Hardenslo bastard made the 911 call. He set you and Horatio up. I'm just glad that H put a round through his head." Eric leveled his gaze with the Texan and lightened the situation himself.

"Yeah. Horatio never misses." He brought smiles to his coworkers' faces and they proudly shared a laugh or two. After all, they had to agree.

Horatio was a damn good shot.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Ryan Wolfe weaved in and out of traffic with nothing in mind but getting to Grace Memorial. As soon as he got the call from Natalia, he had shed his lab coat and made a beeline for his Hummer. On the way out, he almost knocked over Walter.

"Whoa Wolfe, where's the fire?" he unknowingly asked. Ryan caught his breath and finally spat out his words.

"Walter, Calleigh and H just got ambushed at a crime scene. Horatio got shot in the chest and they're at the E.R right now." he delivered the news quickly, but the despondence in his voice was unmistakable. Walter threw the file folder in his hand onto the nearby layout table and bolted for the parking lot. The hurried officers were barely in their seats before Ryan had the keys in the ignition and the sirens screaming.

The horns of many agitated motorists' blared in protest of Wolfe's spastic driving, but he didn't care one bit. They had three more minutes at the latest before they were to arrive. But the notorious congestion on the Causeway wasn't exactly in their favor.

"Damn it, get out of the way!" Ryan furiously hissed while pounding on the horn. At long last, they made it to the exit and held their speed as Grace Memorial Hospital came into full view. Neither one of them had any clue of Horatio's condition, or if he had made it beyond the sliding doors of the trauma Unit.

Ryan and Walter approached the front desk, taking on an extremely serious but caring attitude. Walter raised his badge and before he could open his mouth, Ryan had already began speaking. The nurse manned at the desk listened with caring intent as he relayed what he knew to her.

"We're looking for Lieutenant Horatio Caine. He was brought in about ten minutes ago." She recognized his request, being that several other officers had asked for the redhead since he was transported from an apparent warehouse shooting.

"Lieutenant Caine is in surgery right now, sir. They had a tough time stabilizing him, but he's in good hands at the moment. Some of your coworkers are in the waiting area down the hall. They'll be happy to see you." She offered a warm smile and before the two passed the desk, she spoke up yet again.

"Excuse me, officers?" Ryan turned around in her direction, Walter following.

"Yes ma'am?" Walter asked. The friendly orderly wore a respectful smile of care and comfort and expressed her kindest regards.

"I wanted to say that I wish the best for your friend and I hope that he pulls through." The pair nodded in appreciation and headed towards the small waiting space outside of Trauma. Now that they had arrived, the entire team took up the row of chairs.

A dark cloud of worry and despair hung over the shaken family and heads drooped in sadness. Walter and Ryan were completely oblivious to what had went down before their arrival. Eric Delko shattered the high strung silence in the room and unlike the others, he held his head high.

"Horatio's going to make it, guys. Don't start losing hope yet. If there's anything I'm sure of, it's that H is a fighter." Sniffles and faded smiles radiated across their faces, but only briefly.

"Eric's right, y'all. Horatio's going to be alright. Just think. Soon, he'll be giving the doctors hell about being stuck in here." Frank Tripp's attempt to coax a smile from his colleagues was successful, but only just.

No matter what, they all carried a heavy sense of doubt in their hearts.

* * *

An hour had slowly crawled by sitting in the almost claustrophobic room. It was an hour full of small conversation, if any at all. That, and a hell of a lot of fowl-tasting hospital coffee. The Chief moved in night shift to cover some of their priorities and told them to take time off. But that was the least of their worries. Calleigh was having such a hard time, she lost count on how many times she went to the bathroom to plainly cry. She kept replaying those moments in her mind and they just wouldn't go away. Now she sat, staring at the blot of blood on her sleeve from earlier. Everybody's gaze shifted in an instant as a haggard-looking doctor in dark scrubs strolled in.

"Lieutenant Caine's family? I'm Dr. Robert Tyler." The man took a seat of his own and released a heavy sigh.

"How is he, doctor?" Frank anxiously questioned.

Doctor Tyler raised his head and look around the room before speaking.

"For now, all we can do is wait."

**TBC..**


	10. Chapter 10

_Man it's been a long day, stuck thinkin' about it drivin' on the freeway, wonderin' If I really tried everything I could_

_Not knowing if I should try a little harder_

_Oh but I'm scared to death,_

_That there may not be another one like this_

_And I confess, _

_That I'm only holdin' on by a thin, thin thread_

_I'm kickin' the curb cause you never heard, _

_The words that you needed so bad_

_And I'm kickin' the dirt cause I never gave you_

_The things that you needed to have,_

_I'm so, sad._

_- Maroon 5_

**Chapter Ten**

"All we can do is wait." The words repeated themselves in her mind as Calleigh sat alone at the Palm Diner down the road from Grace Memorial. She nudged the bleak salad on her plate with a fork and took a sip of hot coffee. What had transpired today was taking a dark toll on the Bullet Girl. Today, she watched as her mentor and friend took a bullet and died before her very eyes. While he had fought and came back to them, there was no telling what the future brought for him.

She thought back to the remainder of Dr. Tyler's update on Horatio and rejected the oncoming flow of tears.

* * *

_**Twenty minutes earlier:**_

"All we can do is wait. The bullet only missed Lieutenant Caine's heart by an inch. Even so, it did enough damage for us to be concerned about." Natalia spoke up in instant denial and demanded further explanation.

"What exactly are you trying to say? He's going to be okay, right?" she countered. At that moment, they all turned their attention to the doctor to see what he had to say.

"As much as I hate to say it, there's still a chance that he may not make it." His words stung more than anything the CSI's had ever heard. That was the last thing they needed to hear and now, their hearts sunk in pure defeat.

"I have to remind you that Mr. Caine is healthy and strong. He's fighting with all he's got and we have to be hopeful for his sake. I'll be back in a while to see how you're all doing." Doctor Tyler stood from his seat and left the waiting area; Leaving a room full of despondent officers behind.

That's when Calleigh had gotten up and left.

* * *

After the team had been given such depressing news on their beloved commander, none of them were in a very healthy state of mind. While they previously had hope and encouragement, it all had been dashed. Each of them let their personal worry fester back at the lab. Everyone except Calleigh sat in a conference room trying to busy themselves in hope of obtaining some sort of distraction from the situation at hand. They wanted to stay at the E.R, but Dr. Tyler had advised them to wait while tests were run.

Eric Delko had been caught in between his emotions as both worry, and his unrelenting feelings of faith remained. _I've already lost Mari. I can't lose him. I won't._ He continued to deny reality and returned his attention to the piece of evidence that he fiddled with in his gloved hands. Calleigh hadn't returned yet, so Jason Hardenslo's .45 and Horatio's Sig Sauer sat in evidence boxes, awaiting processing. Eric questioned the reason for processing the handguns, especially since everybody had been very aware of this morning's incident. Truthfully, he felt very bad for Calleigh. To be there, and watch everything unfold the way that it did, was clearly unleashing hellish emotions on her. Lab coat still on, he caught the attention of an assistant Ballistics analyst.

"Hey, do you have a minute?" he asked. The scientist was ever reluctant and stepped into Delko's lab.

"Sure thing. How are you guys holding up?" Eric tried with all of his might and mustered a dull smile in response.

"We're all trying to keep our heads above water. I need a favor, though." he admitted with almost a pleading tone to his voice. The aspiring investigator nodded his head and accepted. "Anything you guys need Delko."

"I need you to do the processing on the shooting." The young man took on a slightly confused expression.

"I thought Calleigh was supposed to?" There was no hiding the slight ignorance in his attitude. Eric walked over to the door and gave it an acceptable shove closed.

"Look, Reynolds. How do you think she's going to feel logging, documenting and testing the gun that shot Horatio? They both almost died today, so the least you could do is take this off of her hands." Delko had grown easily agitated and it showed.

Reynolds finally nodded in agreement and apologized as he left the room. The fuming CSI ran a hand over his face with a sigh. He began to worry about Calleigh and phoned her.

"Calleigh? It's Eric. Doctor Tyler said he would call when we could come back to visit. We're back at the lab finishing up. Call me back when you get this." He left a message on her voice mail and returned to the conference room where everybody had moved on to paperwork. Nothing was said as he joined the ranks and grabbed a pen.

* * *

Just like that. She had turned, and walked away. His heart stung, a familiar bombardment of sadness overcoming him. And just like that chaotic day on the pier,

Marisol was gone again.

Why did I go back? he asked himself again and again. It wasn't fair to him at all. Even though the reasons to stay were obvious to everybody else, they weren't to him in the slightest bit. Suddenly, he became aware of dulled conversation and the putrid sanitary smell of a hospital. The darkness became lighter and his eyelids felt as if they were glued shut. When his crystal blue eyes fluttered open at last, he caught the eye of a nearby RN and she greeted him with a smile.

"Welcome back Lieutenant Caine."

**TBC**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

**A/N: Here's the next chapter for you all. Once again, I truly thank you for the fantastic reviews. Just know- there will be a little DuCaine fluff here and there in the form of comfort and support. I hope this isn't a problem, but I hope you enjoy either way. :)**

The room full of emotionally frayed CSI's drooped in boredom. It was now 3:30 in the afternoon and they were all out of paperwork and everybody had finished their open cases. Their attempts to have a late lunch were feeble at best, and Ryan proved it during the 3 times he had fallen asleep, landing in his turkey sandwich.

Calleigh had returned from her own lunch a half an hour ago to find her battered colleagues corralled in the lonely air of the conference room. She was just signing off on reports of her own when Eric's cell phone rang, startling them all instantly.

"Delko." He answered firmly.

"Hi, this is Doctor Tyler from Grace Memorial. I recommend that you come down to the hospital." The man informed him. Delko took on a slight sense of panic as his mind immediately formed a worst case scenario. Before he answered, he shook his head, fearing the worst.

"Is he okay? Everything's fine, right?" The questions came in an instant and concern overwhelmed every other emotion in his body. When the doctor delivered his reply, he did not hesitate.

"Lieutenant Caine woke up. He's asking for someone by the name of Calleigh. He seems to be very worried about her."

While Eric felt a touch unnerved that his brother had only asked for Calleigh, he brushed his defensive feelings away and after a brief moment in total silence, he ended the call.

"Alright. Thank you." His finger tapped the end call button on his phone, and he turned to face the others. Ryan's attempts to stay awake proved worthless as his face rested on the table. A light snore echoed throughout the room; That is, until Natalia elbowed him in the shoulder and knocked him out of his chair.

All joking aside, everybody had heard the ever serious phone call and their eyes locked onto Eric, awaiting to hear the news. Even Wolfe grew impatient while climbing up from the floor.

"H woke up."

* * *

Within minutes of regaining consciousness, Horatio had been practically surrounded by hospital personnel. And truth be told, he hated it. Being unable to care for himself, he felt like a burden on others. _No more than usual, _he thought to himself. He allowed something other than his own self loathing to grasp his thoughts. Everything was spotty, but he still remembered how Jason Hardenslo had ambushed Calleigh.

_Don't tell me she got hurt, I will never forgive myself. I need her by my side right now._

When he tried to speak, his words did not come easily and a nurse extended the straw of a water cup to him. He accepted it, and finally, he made his request to the coherent RN.

"Where's Calleigh, I need to see Calleigh. Please." The redhead didn't realize how short of breath he was until his words escaped his mouth. The orderly attempted to hush him, but the persistent Lieutenant would not be quieted easily. Unbeknownst to him, Dr. Tyler had just gotten off the phone with his brother-in-law minutes ago. In the distant murmur of the sanitary environment, he heard the unmistakable sound of idle conversation coming closer to his room. His slick investigative skills honed in on Ryan and Natalia's light banter, while he distinguished the familiar boom of Walter and Eric's own voices. Before he had time to wonder where the Bullet Girl was, she had entered his room.

"Calleigh," he whispered. She occupied the chair directly next to his bed and held his tired hand. He returned the welcoming pressure of her grasp, but only as much as his strength could muster. Nearby, the entire team stood completely ecstatic to see their leader alert and talking. Boy, was a far cry from his earlier situation. One by one, everyone came over to give their superior a heart warming hug. Calleigh held back tears of both pain and happiness. After expressing the warmest greetings they could manage, Eric decided to give the two of them some time alone even though it went against his natural instinct.

"We'll step out and grab a coffee. Be right back H." The Cuban announced with a smile. The team followed his lead and they made their way to the Cafe. The redheaded Lieutenant returned his attention to the beautiful blonde Ballistics expert in front of him and when he saw the tears threatening to escape her lovely emerald irises, he raised his hand as one of them streaked down her face. His thumb caressed her cheek, ridding it of her sorrows.

"Don't cry, Calleigh. I'm right here. I'm right here." He pleaded quietly. She gently laid her head on his shoulder while he wrapped his arm around her allowing her to get close to him. After all, it was all he could do to comfort her shaken spirit.

"We thought we'd lost you." She sobbed. The man himself blinked away tears of his own when he heard her say such a thing. It felt like a kick to the heart. To think that his loyal team had witnessed him leave the threshold of Earth, was gut wrenching.

Calleigh thought back to their early morning conversation and remembered how darkened the soul of the man before her had become. "_I'm not worth the tears," _he had conveyed to her in the break room.

"Don't ever give up, Horatio Caine. You're too important to us." Calleigh begged. Horatio knew no other thing to say except one thing.

"I won't, sweetheart. You're too important to me." The pair tightened their embrace, and the fallen commander came to sudden realization.

He had came back for a reason.

**TBC**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

The team spent the rest of their day with the wounded redhead and didn't go home until the doctor advised Horatio to get some rest. When they began to file out, Calleigh deliberately faltered behind so that she could say a goodbye of her own. A warming smile tugged at his face once he saw her straggle.

"I'll see you first thing in the morning, Handsome. You get some rest." She knelt by his bedside and brushed her hand across his delicate face. His boyish grin caused a smile of her own to appear.

"I can't..think of anything better..to wake up to." He gently whispered as exhaustion got the better of him. Before he closed his tired eyes, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his forehead. Convinced that he'd legitimately fallen asleep, she took one last look at the pain weakened man before her, and as she walked out the door, another observance crossed her mind. No matter his pristine attitude, she knew that he had a way to go before his hurt soul was restored. Either way, she'd be there for him, every step of the way.

Calleigh gave one last smile before crossing the threshold of the door to catch up to the others.

* * *

Despite being given time off, the group refused to sit at home and idle while the lab took on their workload. Since she was his second in command, Calleigh had taken the liberty of pulling up a chair and signing off on Horatio's incoming paperwork. The last thing she wanted for him was to come back with a stack of work on his desk to contend with.

After a slightly restful night, the group came in early to let night shift take a well-deserved breather. The Bullet Girl found herself repeatedly glancing up at the clock, impatiently awaiting visiting hours. While she reviewed the cases and went over requests for time off, she looked up at the clock once more before letting out a lengthy sigh.

Eric and the others were feeling better than they had yesterday. Ryan was no longer using his lunch as a pillow, and they were able to work at a steady pace. Delko had been on his way to the break room to grab a few bottles of water for himself and the others when the resident Ballistics assistant from yesterday stopped him.

"Hey Delko. I heard Horatio's doing better. Here's the Ballistics report on the two guns." Reynolds spoke steadily as he handed Eric the file folder.

"Thanks for taking this off of our hands. I appreciate it." Eric went to turn away but when the other man spoke up yet again, he listened closely and stopped in his tracks.

"I'm surprised Horatio isn't dead. Calleigh should have had his back." The ignorance radiated with his words through the air. Unfortunately for the young scientist, Eric Delko had heard every word. Before his face even registered anger, the strong and tall Cuban had a vice-like grip on the rude analysts' lab coat. A few onlookers stood by as the worn file folder flitted to the floor. The enraged CSI almost growled his words.

"DON'T YOU EVER SAY THAT! LEARN TO KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT REYNOLDS! AT LEAST CALLEIGH AND H CAN ACTUALLY HIT A TARGET!" Eric's hands clamped down harder and he failed to notice Wolfe bolt towards him at top speed. At this point, the startled Ballistics tech only froze in the grip of the angered officer before him. Ryan didn't have the chance to separate the pair. Once he saw the scene he was making, Eric gave him a hard shove and let go. Ryan looked up at Eric with surprised eyes, and tried to catch his breath.

"Eric what the hell was that all about!" Ryan ushered Delko towards the break room and they sat across from each other at the small table neighboring the fridge. The fuming Cuban wore a look of disgust while they both tried to recover. To say that he was pissed, was a major understatement.

"Eric are you trying to lose your job? What you did in there was crazy! I'm sitting in trace one minute, and the next thing I know, you're about to beat the hell out of the Ballistics tech." Eric didn't want to hear it. He shook his head in disapproval while standing up to leave.

"Look, Wolfe. What was I supposed to do? Let that punk trash talk H and Calleigh? He blamed Calleigh for Horatio getting shot, for God's sake!" Ryan began to understand the reason for the outburst. As his colleague exited, he followed suit.

He didn't forget to toss a dirty look at the insolent scientist on his way out.

* * *

The Bullet Girl slid on her sunglasses to shield the beaming Miami sun that shined through the Hummer's window. As soon as visiting hours started, she had signed out and made her way to the lab's parking lot.

The A/C hummed through the SUV and she signaled her right turn to exit the Rickenbacker Causeway. Calleigh was looking forward to visiting her superior, yet she wondered if his bright attitude would maintain. Grace Memorial came into full view and she parked the large response vehicle. It took less than a minute to get permission from the stationed RN at the front desk. Doctor Tyler greeted her outside of the redhead's room and struck up a conversation.

"Morning CSI Duquesne, how are you?" He smiled while he spoke, giving her the reassuring feeling that everything was going well.

"Good morning, I'm doing alright, thank you. How's Horatio doing?" Calleigh questioned the young Doctor. His smile remained as he eagerly voiced the Lieutenant's status.

"He seems to be responding well to the surgery and treatment. His heart rate is stable, and he's in the beginning stages of recovery as of today. It's remarkable, really. You can go ahead and see him if you like." Dr. Tyler motioned towards the room, and she thanked him.

Calleigh smiled as she walked in, noticing her commander sitting up, fully alert. She headed towards the lone chair and took a seat.

"Good morning, beautiful." Horatio whispered. His sparkling eyes and boyish charm were enough to make her melt.

"Well good morning to you too, Handsome! How are you feeling today?" Horatio winced as he shifted position.

"I won't complain, sweetheart. I'm feeling better now that you're here." He reached over and laid his hand over hers. A light laugh involuntarily escaped her person at his flattery.

They both conversed for a long while, talking about everything from the lab, to the horrible tasting hospital coffee. After a few laughs, Calleigh noticed the gleam of tears lining his eyes. With her free hand, she cupped his face and he stared on, trying to hold his resolve.

"What's wrong, Horatio? You can tell me." She tried to calm him, knowing that inside, he was waging a war. As he turned to face her, she saw the familiar despondence lurking in his spirit.

"She told me to come back." Calleigh barely heard his coarse reply. When she did, she knew exactly what he meant.

"Marisol." He tilted his head down, avoiding her gaze. A nod signified that her guess was correct. The room was racked with silence for several moments.

The reminiscence in his quiet tone was demeaning, and she hurried to comfort him.

"We're all glad that you did. You mean the world to us, Handsome. We couldn't imagine a day without you." The blonde CSI wiped away his cascading tears and leaned in. Her warm and delicate lips made contact with his forehead once more, and she wrapped her arms around him snugly.

"Thank you, Calleigh." Horatio in turn gave her a peck on the cheek and the pair simply indulged in each others embrace.

_I just want to hold you forever, sweetheart._

**TBC**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

**A/N: A warm thank you for all of the reviews, and the support. I appreciate the patience in between posting, I haven't** **felt**** well lately. And congratulations to my pal Teeheehee123 on 400 reviews! You're the best!**

He stared into the bare ceiling tiles, immersed in boredom. Hospitals brought back the darkest of memories from his unforgiving childhood, and it only added to the nagging irritation. It hurt his pride, being unable to make use of himself. But never the less, he knew that he had to heal not only for himself, but for the team.

Calleigh's daily visits became something to look forward to. She never ceased to put a smile on his face, no matter how low he was. When he would hear the cadence of her beautiful Southern drawl, his world didn't seem so dark.

While she brought him much comfort, he still felt the hollowness inside of his heart everyday. Before Calleigh would come visit him, his cold cobalt eyes stood fixed; Whether it was the ceiling, or out the window, it signified that he was deep in thought. Being raged by sadness started to tire him to a point where nobody could understand.

He just hoped that one day, just maybe, Calleigh would.

* * *

The Bullet Girl browsed the massive section of cards trying to find the right one for her favorite redhead. She'd been through 3 sections already and so far, she was still looking. A crisp, white card with the scenic view of a beach caught her eye. The color of the water made her think of Horatio with his gorgeous aquamarine eyes, and familiar navy button-up shirts. I wanted you to know_..._ was on the front, clad in calm black cursive. She opened it, revealing the words inscribed inside. Strewn across the sandiness of the shore, was the words she had been looking for._ "__You fill the world around you with happiness, with your lovely voice and lively presence. Here's hoping you get well soon." _The phrase made her smile, and she slipped an envelope out from the slot.

A card just didn't seem like enough. Calleigh made her way over to the stuffed animals in search for a little companion for the Lieutenant. After picking up a few, she decided on a little brown Teddy bear. A medium-sized heart was stitched into the chest and a smile plastered its' adorable face. The Bullet Girl made her way to checkout, satisfied with her choices.

Now seated in the Hummer, she pulled out a pen from the visor and thought hard on what to inscribe inside of the card. With one click, she began writing.

_Horatio,_

_You may not feel like it, but you are my hero._

_I wake up everyday thankful to see your handsome face again. You mean the world to me, and everyone else around you._

_You bring a smile to my face and make me laugh no matter what._

_You're a truly amazing man. _

_Get well soon, Handsome._

_Love, Calleigh._

Calleigh slid the card into the envelope, scrawled his name on the front, and started the Hummer.

* * *

_He ran at full speed into his room, not daring to look behind him. He barely made it into the closet before tripping over himself. In an instant, he saw his rage fueled father looming over him like a wild animal hunting for its' prey. Ron Caine spit his words with a vengeance circling them. _

_"Look at you, runnin' scared! What kind of a sorry man are you!? I ought to teach your worthless ass a lesson!" The young redhead cowered in the corner shielding himself from the flying belt that came his way. His begs and pleas did no justice as the hits became relentless. He heard his mother attempting to talk the drunken elder away from her poor son. _

_"Ron please! Leave him alone! He didn't do a thing wrong! Get your hands off of him!" Her words only angered him more, and she became victim to his verbal onslaught._

_"Who the hell do you think you are!? I'll teach this boy a lesson if I damn well want to! Get out of here before I have to teach you one too!" Frightened, Emma Caine backed away from the doorway, allowing the evil man the chance to continue.  
_

_"Look at you, the weak son-of-a-bitch you are! At least Ray can take a hit!" _

_The impacts of each blow echoed through the room. When the final slap of the rough leather made contact with him, he shouted mercilessly. Through his endless shouts, he neglected to hear that soft southern beauty trying to bring him peace.  
_

"Horatio! Calm down, it's alright! Shh!" Calleigh held both of his hands hoping to soothe the distressed man. Horatio jolted into a sitting position, panting heavily.

"No! Please, no more!" The words left his mouth abruptly. It took home more than a minute to realize where he was. In his mind, he was still cowering before his raging father.

Calleigh ushered him to lay back down immediately. A certain maternal sense came over her, and she did her best to alleviate his sudden fear.

"Handsome, it's alright, they can't hurt you anymore. Just relax, Horatio." He looked into her eyes completely convinced while she ran a hand through his fiery auburn mane. Seeing that he was parched from his seemingly horrific nightmare, she brought a straw to his lips, and he gladly indulged in the thirst-quenching liquid.

Once she felt that he had calmed down enough, she pulled out the lovely card and plush bear. He fiddled with the envelope and a newly found warmth lit up his face after his delicate hands slid the card from the sleeve. It did her justice to see the grin arising from his person. Horatio ran a thumb over the soft fur of the bear sitting in his lap.

A grateful tear dripped from his eye as he muttered his ever appreciative thank you.

"This is amazing, Calleigh, thank you sweetheart." A gentle hand caressed his cheek, ridding it of the stray teardrop.

"You deserve it, Handsome. I love you." Calleigh closed the distance between them, and he welcomed the passionate rendezvous of their lips.

Eric Delko looked on from a distance, his own mouth agape in a mixture of shock and a sense of betrayal. It was all so sudden; Too sudden for him to even process. With a shake of his head, he walked away without looking back.

**TBC**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

**A/N: Thank you all for the continued support and all of the fantastic reviews. You are all appreciated very much!**

Eric sat on the park bench with his head hung low. After being backhanded with such emotions at the hospital, he needed a breath of the renewing Miami breeze. Delko's pride was wounded; He worried that he and Calleigh were growing apart, but now he knew. When Horatio and the original team had gotten their start, he continuously noticed the effervescent sparks flying between the Bullet Girl and her superior.

_Maybe it's for the best, Delko. Things happen for a reason, right? Let H be happy for once. The man deserves it._

He sat for so long, plainly thinking. Whether or not he over thought, he didn't know, and certainly didn't care. At that moment, he came to realize something. Perhaps the care and comfort that Calleigh had to offer for the Lieutenant would draw him out of the dark shadows. Horatio's grief-stricken heart needed to heal, but Eric supposed that the man could not do so by himself. At least, not after losing Mari.

The Cuban lifted his weary head high as the previous feelings of dread and disbelief began to subside.

"H deserves to be happy." Delko murmured on his way back to the Hummer.

* * *

Doctor Tyler stood at Horatio's bedside, his eyes skittering across the medical chart that he held in his hands. Calleigh had left after an hour or so, and promised to return after work. The Caine man had lost track of how many days it had been since Jason Hardenslo mercilessly attempted to end his life. Those around him detected a sense of petulance her and there.

"Lieutenant, you've made great progress, I have to say it. You show no signs of infection, and you're healing nicely. I find it only right that you go home in about two days. Perhaps less, considering how much your condition has improved."

The thought of being able to leave this seemingly Godforsaken environment excited the redhead. He thought of Calleigh, and how he could properly spend time with her once that he was home. After all, it had to get tiring, ping ponging back and forth on a constant basis. Over the past few days, she wasn't the only one devoting her time to him. The entire team made a daily effort to visit whenever their hectic lives at the lab would allow it.

Horatio murmured his thanks before the young physician exited. He brought the straw to his lips and took an exceptional swig from the cup of ice water and set it back on the nearby table. His infamous strength was gradually returning, especially since they had shifted his diet back to solid food. No longer was he restricted to only what the IV had to offer. The days began to grow longer and longer, but it now seemed that patience really was a virtue.

The idle hum of the surrounding monitors and equipment grew distant as Horatio's mind wandered, thinking back to his first date with Marisol. A warming smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, a surprising wave of happiness flooding his heart. He remembered her iridescent smile, and how bright it was the first time they met. While their meant-to-be encounter wasn't exactly under great circumstances, it was something he would never forget.

It was clear that the burdened Caine man hadn't moved on from his wife's devastating passing, and it honestly didn't seem like he ever would. Ridding Miami of its demons provided some solace, if any at all. While he drifted into the uncertainty that was his newly found intimacy with the Bullet Girl, he felt a sense of hope for the future. Although the man himself was convinced that moving on was out of the question, he knew that he would not be alone anymore.

He had Calleigh.

* * *

The southern beauty eyed the never-ending stack of backlogged cases next to her comparison microscope. Between splitting Horatio's paperwork with Eric and dealing with cases of her own, her work was getting the best of her. Until the redheaded Lieutenant recovered, everyone played their own game of catch-up. Ryan was busy in Trace, while Natalia practically swam in overdue evidence to run. Walter had to soon join Wolfe just so they could make a dent in the caseload.

Overworked and already exhausted, she let the pen in her hand settle while she leaned back in the moderately comfortable swivel chair. Before too long, she permitted her weary mind to sail away. Time melted away, but she could care less.

Eric strolled by the Ballistics laboratory, but not without noticing the sound-asleep CSI resting on the desk. He allowed himself a smirk before quietly entering.

His gentle hand nudged her shoulder softly, waking her on the third try. The alarmed look on her face told all, and he hushed her with an ever generous smile.

"Don't worry, Cal. I got everything covered. You need to go home and get some rest. The couch in the break room doesn't count like it has for two days, you know." Delko chuckled. She began to protest, but he insisted.

"Go get some real sleep, Calleigh. I'll cal in a few favors from night shift so you can get caught up faster." The Cuban did not hide the calming tone to his rhythmic voice.

"Alright, but I'm going to go see Horatio first. Thanks, Eric." The CSI hung up her lab coat and made her way to the locker room. Her Colt .45 handgun sang a melodic song as she unloaded it and sat it in the top shelf along with her badge. With a heavy sigh, she swung the door shut and headed for the parking garage.

**TBC**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

**A/N: I appreciate the patience in between my postings very much. I'm in the process of making adjustments to my writing so that the content flows better. **

It was late afternoon when Calleigh left the crime lab. Despite her need for a proper nap, she detoured and made her way towards the hospital to visit Horatio. Her head swam with a combination of random thoughts and even a few questions flitted around in her mind.

The smoothness of the Julia Tuttle Causeway hummed through the interior of her vehicle whilst her mind crossed things off of a mental to-do list.

_Horatio's paperwork, finished. Cases, not so much. Firearms lab cleaned up, done. __All that's left is to see Horatio. _

She made the swift exit from the lengthy freeway onto a small side-street. The sun was at its peak and the short buildings around her did no good in shielding the Miami rays from the street. For what seemed like the 100th time, she pulled into the hospital parking lot. It took her a moment to readjust to the heat after being surrounded by constant air-conditioning. On her way in, the nurse at the desk offered a friendly smile and a wave.

Along with the orderly manning the reception area, several other staff members had grown accustom to seeing the team on a steady basis since their Lieutenant's arrival. While it was a lovely gesture, Calleigh longed for her superior's return home.

As she turned the corner before entering the corridor, she was ever surprised to see Horatio walking with the aid of Dr. Tyler. The once tired and fragile man who was brought in half alive just a few days ago looked whole again. The color had returned to his face, and it looked as if his strength was coming back to him.

"Hey there Handsome! I assume that you're feeling better today?" The vibrant smile on her face told all.

"That I am sweetheart. Even better now that you're here. " The boyish grin he flashed melted her heart. The younger doctor hid his amused smile as he led them both back into Horatio's room. As soon as he lowered his frame back onto the bed, Dr. Tyler spoke the words that the Bullet Girl had been waiting for.

"CSI Duquesne, I bet you'll be happy to know that the Lieutenant here is set to go home a day from now. He's made monumental progress day by day and it shows. I'll return in a bit to check on things." The man ducked out and left the pair to themselves. The redhead welcomed the peck on the cheek from her and in return, mustered all of his strength to lean in and capture her lips in a majestic kiss of his own. He looked into her emerald eyes, his own cobalt irises twinkling with charm.

"I can't wait to go home so I can spend even more time with you, sweetheart. I don't do you or anyone justice laid up in here." Still reeling from his delicate kiss, Calleigh wrapped her hand around his own and spoke reassuringly.

"Horatio, you've done enough justice for everyone. You deserve a little downtime." He went to retort, but thought better of it knowing that he could not win against the steely Bullet Girl. The room grew silent, but only just once she began to question him. He knew where it was going, and he didn't like it.

"Can I ask you something Horatio?"

"Of course darling." The man cleared his throat.

"What was that night terror about the other day?" She felt guilty for asking, but couldn't help feel an immense sense of concern ever since.

"I knew you would ask sooner or later." His head tilted downward in hesitation, but he continued, finally revealing his horrid experiences as a child and older.

"My father was a violent man. He'd come home from work after the bar a different man from when he left in the mornings. We were always afraid of him, even more when he had too much to drink."

Calleigh began to feel a sense of remorse for the Lieutenant and felt the grip on her hand tighten slightly. He kept on going, despite reliving the horrifying memories.

"My mother couldn't protect us most of the time. He threatened her if she said anything. I spent a lot of time protecting Raymond, more than myself. After awhile, I tried to stop being afraid, but when he would chase me into my room yelling with that belt..." Horatio stopped mid sentence and bit his lip trying to hold strong.

"God Horatio, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." Tears brimmed both of their eyes as they looked to each other for comfort. She threw her arms around him and he in turn he did the same. The sorrowful embrace lasted for what seemed like eternity before he let go.

Just as he did for her in the break room the day of the shooting, she wiped away the remaining tears on his reddened face. Her hand drifted up to his head where she repeatedly stroked his fiery mane.

"You are the strongest person I've ever met, Handsome. Where would we be without you?"

Neither of them noticed the doctor's presence hovering near the door until the young man knocked, putting their moment to the back burner. Calleigh recognized the motion that it was time to let him rest. The Bullet Girl needed a long nap of her own, so she stood to leave.

"I'll see you soon, sweetheart. I love you."

The blonde Ballistics expert muttered her goodbye in his ear and pressed her lips to his tepid forehead before going home for the night. Horatio, still not recovered from their conversation became startled when he heard Doctor Tyler's voice boom.

"I hope you don't mind me saying so, but she's a keeper, Lieutenant."

Instead of taking offense, he chuckled lightly in response.

"That she is. That she is."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

Calleigh sat at Horatio's bedside intently. Doctor Tyler was off typing up release papers while the redhead finished buttoning his crisp long sleeve shirt. Going along with the rest of his expensive, Italian-crafted ensemble, he actually looked like himself again.

He grew exhausted from standing for so long and sat back down on the plush hospital bed. He was more than excited to get out of the bland environment after being stuck there for what seemed like forever. It took awhile, but Calleigh finally spoke up when she noticed the flamboyant look directed at her.

"What is it, Handsome?" He maintained the intoxicating stare before intensifying it with a warm smile.

"I am nothing short of the luckiest man on earth to have you, sweetheart. Thank you for putting up with me for so long."

Calleigh stood and sat closely next to him. Her head rested on his shoulder and he draped a hand over her own.

"And I'm the luckiest woman there is to have you, Handsome. I love you."

Calleigh shifted her gaze towards his aquamarine irises as she took in the breathtaking scent of his musky cologne. She found her head gravitating towards his, and their lips collided in a searing kiss. To the both of them, it felt so...right, so...perfect. Regrettably, they pulled apart for a breath of air. While it wasn't their first, this kiss had lit a fire in their hearts. They needed each other, and it was more apparent than ever.

A familiar physician entered the room, papers in hand and smile on his face.

"Lieutenant, here are your discharge instructions and release forms. We'll have your prescription delivered first thing this morning. I trust that you will take care and we all wish you the best, sir."

Dr. Tyler held a hand out to Horatio and he accepted the young man's farewell gesture. Afterwards, he turned his attention to Calleigh.

"It was great to meet you, CSI Duquesne. You take care of yourself, and the Lieutenant here."

The Bullet Girl reassured Dr. Tyler that she would in fact look after her superior and the couple headed towards the door. As they walked through the exit towards the parking lot, Horatio welcomed the presence of the Miami humidity. He had missed being in the field since the shooting and couldn't wait to return to the lab.

The Southern beauty helped him climb into the massive SUV and once he settled, she made her way to the driver side. Before he knew it, they were entering the Rickenbacker Causeway, headed home. Every so often, she would toss him a charming smile, and he would return it. There was just something about Horatio's inviting personality that made her flush with giddiness.

The sun held steady at it's peak while the Hummer made the ride smoothly and efficiently. Horatio was surprised to see Calleigh take an opposite exit off of the causeway, one leading away from his own home. They made their way up a gravel drive up to a lavish but medium-sized condo. As soon as they heard the rough crunch of the tires on the drive, Austin and Patty ran from the front door to greet their new mother. Eric had convinced the chief to give Calleigh a short break, considering how much work she'd been putting into the lab since the shooting.

In a nutshell, today was special. Not only because of Horatio's release, but for the reason that the two children had just gotten home from school. It was a blessing that Calleigh could snag a day with them.

Ever since the day that her superior was shot down, the blonde Ballistics expert was in and out of her home, barely able to spend time with her children. Alexx Woods had volunteered her extra time after hearing about Horatio, giving her some leeway during the chaos.

The man himself considered her situation and began to feel intrusive. Before he had the time to speak, the two siblings had run up to him and offered a warm welcome of their own.

"Mr. Horatio! We heard you were feeling better!" Austin exclaimed. They both wrapped their arms around him, careful to avoid his sore chest. The gesture made him chuckle lightly and he gladly returned their hug. It warmed his heart to know that they cared. Calleigh ushered them all inside to get out of the relentless heat. Horatio couldn't help but feel apprehensive, seeing as she deserved time with her children. Never the less, she made him right at home.

Patty and Austin lingered away to get started on homework, leaving the Bullet Girl and her superior alone in the living room. After pouring them a cup of coffee, she cuddled up next to him on the couch. The mugs sat steaming away on the coffee table while she took in the cadence of his heartbeat.

"Eric and the rest of the team are coming over for dinner. They're excited to see you back on your feet." Her words caught him off guard. Deep in thought, he almost didn't realize that she had said anything.

"That's great, sweetheart. I'm sure we'll have a lovely time." His low voice could be compared to that of a growl. Adding to it, he pulled her closer and gave her an appreciative peck on the head.

The new-found love that they felt for each other had grown so strong, that their hearts ached. Through the trials that they had faced in those rough ten years, they had been there for one another, no matter the cost. Though they'd grown apart before, he made it his duty to never let it happen again. Calleigh Duquesne was his second chance at pure love.

The day that she met Detective Horatio Caine was one marked a milestone in her mind. His sparkling blue eyes, boyish charm and lovable personality reeled her in like a Bass in the 'Glades. To serve under him after his promotion to Lieutenant was an honor, and it to stand lovingly by his side now, was an even bigger one.

"I'll return to the lab in 4 days time. I hear a certain Southern Ballistics expert took the reins while I was gone?" He chuckled.

"Yes she did, and the amount of paperwork you bother with is insane!" Calleigh joked, coaxing a laugh from the redhead.

They both knew very well how hard the lab had worked to keep up during the week. Some of the CSI's dug themselves into a hole with backlogged evidence just to tend to the Caine man's needs, and he would be forever grateful to them for their sacrifices.

The couple fell silent only to enjoy one an others company. The blonde looked up, only to see her handsome supervisor with his head at its' famous tilt. His eyes focused on her own and in a moment of clear passion, Calleigh reached a hand behind his delicate head. Her lips met his, and a blazing kiss ensued.

They broke apart for a breath of air, only to turn their heads at the giggling brother and sister peaking from the corner of the hallway. The two left no time for shyness as the Bullet Girl jumped up from her seat. The entire house filled with laughter while she chased Austin and Patty in revenge. They all landed on the couch next to Horatio, who too, was alight with laughter.

Horatio looked on at the loving group sitting in front of him. In the time since the shooting, Calleigh had opened her heart up to him. He realized that his despair over his late wife Marisol would always be there.

But then again, so would Calleigh.

**The End.**

**A/N: I would like to thank those who read, reviewed and offered their kind suggestions to me. You've helped me become a better writer and I appreciate you all so very much! Thank you to my friends Teeheehee123, LovelyLadiiZ and NashMarquez for your help and support. I have a sequel in mind, so be on the look out!**


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